NEW YEARS

"Dora dear, tell me again why I have to come to this party?"

Tonks was in the bathroom of her small apartment putting the final touches to her hair. She was going for long pink hair that slowly turned purple, so far she had got the pink to fade but she was struggling to get the purple to start at just the right place. The door was open and Remus' voice had come through from where he sat reading a book on the history of wizardry politics.

"This is really your type of thing." Remus' voice came again.

"I want you to meet my friends."

"I don't know if that's the best idea. I'm much older and poorer then they would expect. And what if one then recognises that I'm a werewolf? I'm sure your friends don't want someone like me at their party."

Tonks had heard all this before and she was not going to be persuaded Remus argument, besides she finely gotten the purple in her hair to look right. "My friend won't care and if they do care then they aren't my friends."

Tonks steeped out of the bathroom. She had tight back knee length dress on with a thick purple belt around her waist which matched perfectly with her heel. Feeling Remus eyes on her more than seeing them she performed a small twirl. However this was never a good idea without the heels. As if anticipating the fall Remus rushed over and caught her in his arms.

"You're beautiful," he whispered to her.

No matter how many times she heard his say this she could not help but blush. "Then come with me and make sure no one steals me away from you," she jibed.

Not long after, Remus and Tonks apparated outside of a small town house in the outskirts of Tinworth. Bill will be there. I can talk to Bill. Remus kept repeating the same thought over and over. I can talk to Bill, he'll be there. It wasn't that he did not like parties; in fact he rather enjoyed a room full of good company. It was the fact that Tonks friends would all be quite a bit younger than him, they also where bond to look down on his worn out daggy cloths. He had however worn the new jumper Tonks had given him for Christmas. There was also the other worry that Tonks' friend Trish worked in the magical creatures' department, one of the gest, or even Trish herself, could recognise Remus from the werewolf registration office. He put is worries aside and marched towards the front door of Trish's house.

Remus had to hold tight to Tonks as they made their way up the garden path, every steep she took in her heels was a battle to stay upright. Remus wondered how she would survive the night. Tonks rang the bell. She turned to him and gave him a quick kiss as they waited.

A round faced blond girl with big red lips opened the door. "Tonks!" she through her arms around Tonks. Tonks returned the hug with as much enthusiasm. It was too much, Tonks faulted on her heels and began to fall sideways before Remus caught her.

"You must be Remus," The blond girl gushed, "I'm Trish. Tonks and I were in Hufflepuff together. But I bet she's told you that. You're really cute I can see what she means now. Tonks has told me loads about you. Actually not as much as she usually tells me; but then I figure that's because she really likes you."

"Right," said Remus, "It's lovely to meet you Trish." He held out his to shake Trish's. Now with no one holding her up Tonks fell off her heels and into the garden bed.

"I knew this wouldn't work." Tonks pulled out her wand and pointed it at her heels. In a puff of blue smoke they had become flats. "Think that might be safer."

"Be safer to stay in the garden all night, but then you'll miss the party," Trish smiled down at Tonks. Together with Remus they pulled Tonks to her now sturdier feet.

Remus spent the first half of the night being dragged round the room after Tonks, being introduced to numerous witches and wizards. Most were very pleasant to Remus but few said more to him then 'nice to meet you'. He was relieved when Bill Weasley arrived, at last someone he could talk to. Bill waved at Remus and pushed his way across the room to him. The party had really begun to fill out by this time and Remus didn't notice till Bill reached his that he had brought a date.

"Hiya Remus. This Is Fleur." Bill indicated to the extremely beautiful girl standing next to him. Remus took in her soft pale skin, sparkling blue eyes, and her long silk like blond hair. He noticed how the girl radiated beauty. Remus breathed in deeply, being a werewolf had its advantages, and he could smell that she wasn't quite human.

"Lovely to meet you," Remus held a hand out to Fleur.

She looked at Remus shabby clothes; however she gave a curt smile as she shook his hand, "Lovely to meet you too."

"Has Tonks abandoned you?" asked Bill.

Remus looked around, "she was just here."

Before Bill could say any more an old school friend of Bill's had crashed through the crowd to greet him. Tonks popped back to Remus side. She craned her neck to get a view of Bills date. After Bill's friend had moved on, he introduced Fleur to Tonks.

"So you're who Bill keeps dashing off to see. Do you work at Gringotts?" Tonks moved closer to Fleur to hear her answer.

"Bill," Remus said, "Is she part Velar?"

"Yeah, her Grandma was."

"She's very pretty."

"She's more than that; intelligent, brave, and very strong willed."

"Can you handle that?" Remus joked.

Bill smiled, "handling strong willed women - yeah I think I've been brought up to deal with them."

"So, you know Trish's house mate?"

"Yeah, she works at Gringotts with me. She's over by the drinks there." Bill pointed to one of the many people Remus had been introduced to that night. "Hey you've meet Tonks parents haven't you?"

"Yes," Remus answered cautiously.

"Well how did that go? Just I wanted to introduce Fleur to Mum and Dad."

"I think the fact that I am what I am was a bit of a hurdle when I meet the Tonks'. However, I'm sure that Molly and Arthur will love Fleur. "

"Yeah, I'm worried Fleur and Mum could butt heads …. Hey you and Tonks don't want to come along and be buffers do you?"

Remus faltered for a moment at thinking about how awkward it may be to be present at such a meeting. "If you think it would be beneficial, I can't see why not."

"Great"

There was a loud crash as Tonks toppled to the floor, her drink splashed over Fleur's dress.

"Whops," Tonks said from the floor.

Tonks sat outside on a cold stone seat in the back yard as Trish sucked on a cigarette. It was past midnight now and both of them were rather tipsy. Back inside Remus was chatting away with Bill and Bill's old school mate.

"So tell me Tonks," Trish asked, "what's it like to sleep with a werewolf?"

Tonks almost fell off her seat in shock. "How'd you know?"

"Amos Diggory told me all about how his son's Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher was a werewolf. This was a year or so ago now, you know before his kid died and all that. But I remember the teacher's name: Remus Lupin." Trish paused to give Tonks a piercing stare, "Anyhow, Diggory thought it had been great for Dumbledore to give a werewolf a job like that."

"Amos Diggory was your head of your department wasn't he?" was all Tonks could think to say.

"Yeah, Poor bloke."

"So," Tonks asked, "are you going to tell me that I should be careful – you know- with my werewolf boyfriend and all?"

Trish butted out her cigarette. "As a matter of fat I do think you need to be careful, but not of being beaten by Remus Lupin. No it's the Ministry you need to be careful of. The feeling towards werewolves has sifted over the last few years. It's wired because there were huge leaps forward in werewolf rights and such 30 or 20 years ago. But people like Umbridge have come along and undone years of work."

Tonks throw her arms around Trish. "Thank you," she said, "it great to know that I've got you on my side."

"Damn straight I'm on your side. Always." Said Trish.

AN: Let me know what you think.